Core sample apparatus



A135127, 1965 R. E. DlcKxNsoN Em. 3,180,438

CORE SAMPLE APPARATUS Filed May l, 1963 www@ wwwwwillllllwl-. Y

.wm Om United States Patent 3,l84i,438 CURE SAB/@LE APPARATUS Robert E. Dickinson, indianapolis, End., and Henry E.

Davis, Sunnyvale, Cali., assignors to Mobile Drilling Company, lne., lndianapolds, ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed May i, 1963, Ser. No. 27?',l56 1 Claim. (Cl. 175-239) The present invention relates to an improved device for taking a specic type of soil sample.

It has been the practice for many years to jtake an undisturbed sample of the soil in order to evaluate the soil for design purposes, for example, for buildings, roads and the like. The most commonly used tool for this purpose is the common split barrel spoon sampler. This sampler consists of a central tube or barrel which is split in half lengthwise and held together at one end by a drive shoe with line threads and at the other end by a drive head with line threads. The sampler is driven into the soil by means of a drop weight of a speciiic size and mass. The soil enters the sampler through the open end of the drive shoe and is contained within the split tube. After the sampler has been lled with the soil sample, it is retrieved from the ground, dissassembled, and the sample removed.

Such conventional split spoon samplers require relatively long periods of time for cleaning prior to assembly because of the necessity of thoroughly cleaning the fine threads thereof. Furthermore, the threads at each end or the split tube must be threaded and unthreaded each time a sample is taken which requires a substantial period of time. Also, when the sampler is driven too deeply, the soil becomes too highly compacted within the split tube and the tube bulges. Such a condition damages the split tube and frequently makes necessary replacement if the damage is significant. Furthermore, such split tubes frequently fracture at the junction of the split tube and the drive shoe or drive head.

Consequently, it is one object of the present invention to provide an improved split barrel sampler.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sampler of the present nature which does not require relatively long periods of down time for cleaning, assembly and disassembly.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a sampler of the present nature which can be quickly and easily disassembled to obtain the sample without disconnecting the sampler from the drill pipe.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a sampler o the present nature which is more durable and long lasting than presently available samplers of this type.

@ne manner in which soil is tested with the split type of sampler is by the well known Terzaghi method and tables. T hese tables have been compiled as a result of an extensive amount of knowledge and eliort and are intended for use with a split type sampler having an internal diameter of 1%" and an external diameter of 2". A further object or advantage of the present sampler is that it is particularly adapted for manufacture with such Terzaghi dimensions whereby the results found with the present device using the Terzaghi method can be more accurate.

Related objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

One embodiment of the present invention might include a sampler comprising a cylinder open at one end and with its other end adapted for attachment to a drill pipe. A split sleeve liner is received in the cylinder and projects from the open end thereof. A drive shoe covers BS Fatented Apr. 27, EQSS lCC the projecting end of the liner and is threadedly connected to the cylinder.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claim.

FlG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a sampler embodying the present invention.

FlG. 2 is a section taken longitudinally and axially ofthe sampler of FIG. l.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawing and specilic language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated a sampler lll which includes a drive head 1l, a cylinder l2, a drive shoe 13 and a split liner` 14. The drive head ll had a central axial bore lo which makes up a part of a passage extending completely through the drive head li. The passage further includes an enlarged cup-shaped portion 17 into which the bore leads. Received within the cup-shaped portion l? is a ball-check 2) which functions to prevent ilow of iluid from a counterbore 2li and the enlarged portion 17 in to the bore lo but permits ilow of Huid from the bore lo into the cupshaped portion i7 and the counterbore 2l.

The ball-check 2d is retained in place by a retainer screw 22 having a central opening 2S therethrough. The counterbore 2l is threaded with relatively large box thread which adapts the drive head il for attachment to standard drill pipe. The drive head ll is formed externally with a reduced diameter portion 2o which is joined to the enlarged diameter portion 27 of the drive head by a rounded shoulder 3d. The external diameter of the drive head is further reduced at 31 whereby the drive head forms a recess 32 with the internal surface 35 of the cylinder l2.

The cylinder 12 is welded to the drive head at 3d so that the external surface of the cylinder l2 and the drive head are aligned and form a composite smooth cylindrical shape externally thereof. The cylinder l2 is formed with an internal box thread at 4d but otherwise has a smooth cylindrical shape.

Received within the cylinder l2 and within the recess 32 is the split liner le. This liner projects out of the end of the cylinder l?. and includes two semi-cylindrical sections il and 42. After the test sample has been taken so that it is received within the liner le, the two sections il and d2 are separated, thsu exposing the sample in as undisturbed fashion as posible. Depending upon the type of soil being tested, the liner lid can be composed of various materials, for example, steel, aluminum, brass or plastic. For most applications, however, the metal liner is preferable.

The drive shoe 13 has an externally threaded reduced diameter portion 45 which is threadedly received within the threads 4d of the cylinder l2. It will be noted that the external surface 45 of the drive shoe is thereby aligned with the external surface d'7 of the cylinder producing a smooth composite cylindrical shape. The external surface of the drive shoe i3 has a generally frustaconical shape 54B at its distal end. At the extreme distal end 5l of the drive shoe, the external surface 52 tapers y limits movement of the split liner 14 and retains it in position within the cylinder 12.

The sampler ofthe present invention is used by being attached to Va standard drill rod of a conventional drill rig, for example, incorporating a tower'and cathead, one example of such a rig being B-l6V combination rotary and percussion rig manufactured by Mobile Drilling Company, Inc. of Indianapolis, Indiana. Of; course, in carrying out the present invention, onlyy the percussion teaturev and not the rotary feature of therig would be used.

In taking a sample, it isV conventional to use a 140 pound hammer vwhich drivesthe sampler into the ground for a distance of 6" duringl which driving operation the num-berV of blows of the hammer are counted. The sampler is then further driven yinto the ground a distance of-l2 during which driving operation the number of blows are counted. Because the first 6" of the` sample have possibly been affected'by previous drilling procedure, only the latter 12" of the sample are used in the` consideration ofthe nature of the Ysoil`and thev test procedure. Y n

As is suggested in FIG. l, the drive shoe 13 can be easily Unthreaded from the cylinder 12 to permit easy and convenient removal of the split liner 14l from the cylinder. This Vremoval can be accomplished even thoughl the drive head 11 is still secured to the lower end of therdrill pipe. It can be seen that the ,only step necessary to obtain access tothe liner 14 is the Unthreading ofthe drive shoe 13, said drive shoe being externally knurled at 6l to assist in this removal. Because of the fact that the drive shoe is connected to the cylinder by means of Va heavy box thread, it is not necessary Yto spend a long kperiod of time cleaning the threads prior to connection.

From the above'description, it will be evident thatthel present invention provides an improved split barrel sarn-V pler. Because of the double walled nature of theliner and the cylinder, the device of the present invention has greater strength than previously available split barrel spoon samplers. Furthermore, Ythe double-'layered nature ofthe liner and the cylinder of the present invention particularly adapts the present invention for use While theinvention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claim are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

A sampler comprising a drivehead having a passage bored therethrough, said drive head bore being .counterbored at one end and tapped with a large box thread adapt- V ed'to be received upon the end of'a drill pipe, a check in the Terzaghimethod which is designedy for a sampler having an internal diameter of 1%'and an external diameter of 2".

valve Within said passage and'arranged to permit Vfluid tiow from Vsaid Vbored to said counterbored passage portion Vbut not from said counterbored to said bored pa-ssage portion, said drive head having a reduced external diameter adjacent said other end and an enlarged external diameter aty said one end, said enlarged and reduced diameter portions being joined by a radial shoulder, an elongated cylinder telescopedV at one end onto said drive head at said reduced ldiameter portion in abutment withV said shoulder and welded thereto, said cylinder being internally threaded at said other end with a large box thread, said drive head having a further reduced diameter portion at said other end which defines a recess with said cylinder, a'cylindrical liner received within said cylinder and split along the length thereof at two k locations, said cylindrical liner extending out of the other end of said cylinder, a drive shoe ofY generally cylindrical configuration, said drive shoe being threadedly coupled at one end to said cylinder and having an external surface in alignment with the external surface of said cylinder, said drive shoe tapering inwardly at its other end and Vhaving an internal shoulder against which said liner seats wherebythe unfastening of said drive shoe from said cylinder allows removal of said Yliner without disturbing a collected sample.

References Cited'by the Examiner UNITED STATESPATENTS 790,331 5/05 Terry 175--239 1,319,325 10/19 Dodds 4.--- 175-239 1,640,264 8/27 Carter Y175--239 2,721,055 10/55 Madson et al 175-405 X 2,795,395' 6/57 Acker etal. ..e .'175-239, 2,807,439 49/57 Lipscomb 175--239 X CHARLES E.` OCONNELL, Primary Examiner. 

